A weblog examining sexual politics in higher education and beyond.

Presented below is a copy of an email from the University of Iowa Crisis Center which was distributed on campus on December 1 announcing that suicide prevention training is being offered to interested UI students. The dankprofessor notes that no suicide prevention training is being offered to UI faculty.

And it becomes particularly noteworthy that after the suicide of Professor Arthur Miller last August the university mandated sexual harassment training for all faculty. No suicide prevention training for faculty then or now. Such represents the priorities of the administration of the University of Iowa. Shame on the University of Iowa administration for viewing sexual harassment by faculty as meriting more intervention than for faculty killing themselves!
________________________________________From: Crisis Center [sarah-benson@uiowa.edu]
Sent: Monday, December 01, 2008 1:40 PM
Subject: [NonAcadStudorg] Suicide Prevention Training on Campus

The Crisis Center is providing free training on suicide prevention to interested students. The trainings cover four basic aspects of suicide prevention:

1. Recognizing the warning signs of suicide
2. Asking someone if they are suicidal
3. Persuading someone who is suicidal to get help
4. Referring a suicidal person to appropriate resources

There are two upcoming training dates:
Thursday, December 4, 6:00-8:00pm in 104 EPB
Tuesday, December 9, 6:00-8:00pm in 104 EPB

SPACE IS LIMITED, SO REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED. To register, email Sarah Benson Witry at sarah-benson@uiowa.edu with the session you want to attend.

This training is meant for people who have no prior education in this topic, although anyone is welcome. The training will not make attendees “experts” on suicide, but will help them intervene in situations where someone may be considering suicide. The trainer is certified in suicide prevention training, but is not a licensed professional.

If you are thinking about suicide, please seek help. The following is a short list of possible resources:
University Counseling Service (for students): 335-7294
Faculty & Staff Services (for staff/faculty): 335-2085
Crisis Center Crisis Line (24-hours): 351-0140

/***********
Distribution of this message was approved by the VP for Student Services. Neither your name nor e-mail address was released to the sender. The policy and guidelines for the UI Mass Mail service, including information on how to filter messages, are available at: http://cs.its.uiowa.edu/email/massmail.
***********/

Blog reports on and examines sexual politics in higher education with a focus on issues regarding sexual consent, particularly the attempted repression of student-professor consensual sexual relationships. Thie blog reflects a commitment to the values of liberty, freedom of association, freedom of speech and privacy; such are values that are under increasing attack, both intellectually and policy wise in all too many universities which have embraced a culture of comfort in the framework of a velvet totalitarianism.

In addition, the blog at times will go beyond the university and sexual politics to issues that merit our attention. Whatever the issue the dankprofessor blog will not be constrained by any ideological orthodoxy, sexual or political correctness. Hopefully, this blog will bring together persons who value liberty and freedom even in university life.

The dankprofessor is Barry M. Dank, an emeritus professor of sociology at California State University, Long Beach, where he taught students and engaged in various forms of professorial dissidence for some 35 years.. In his earlier years, he wrote and pontificated on issues related to homosexuality and specifically on coming out and the development of a gay identity. In 1977 he became famous/infamous for his LA Times article on the anti-homosexual campaign of Anita Bryant. Later he focused on interracial relationships and on student-professor relationships. He is the Founding Editor of SEXUALITY AND CULTURE, published by Springer NYC. During his 35 years as a professor and four years as an in-residence grad student at the University of Wisconsin, he openly engaged in propinquitous (as in propinquity) dating, dating students and having many wonderful friendships with many of his students and their families. During his early years in academia he married the daughter of a professor in the Sociology Department at the University of Wisconsin. Presently he is living in the artist village of Tubac in southern Arizona.

The dankprofessor welcomes input from blog readers. Confidential emails should be sent to him directly at- dankprofessor@msn.com The dankprofessor will respond to all personal emails.

Leads on relevant stories will be greatly appreciated.

Guest commentaries should be sent to the same email address for consideration for blog publication.

The dankprofessor is available for campus/class presentations on sexual politics in higher education.